LeBron James injury update: Lakers star could move to G League practice; return vs Utah

Published on: Nov 06, 2025 11:23 AM IST

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LeBron James injury update: King James is yet to play the first game of his record 23rd NBA season. The 40-year-old is expected to return vs Utah Jazz.

LeBron James injury update: King James is yet to play the first game of his record 23rd NBA season. The 40-year-old missed the San Antonio Spurs game on Wednesday and is expected to stay out for the next few weeks. He is recovering from a nagging sciatica injury that surfaced last month.

LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the third quarter of the game against the Golden State Warriors(Getty Images via AFP)

Addressing concerns around James' injury, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said: "Obviously, this thing has to continue to progress with all of his return-to-play protocols. So we don't have, like, a target date. It's just somewhere in that general timeline. We hope that he's kind of checked all the boxes and is going to be back sometime in that second or third week in November."

The Lakers will face the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans, and Milwaukee Bucks next. LeBron is expected to miss all these games. It appears like the 40-year-old could make a return against the Utah Jazz on November 18, at home. With the four-time MVP's season debut, he will become the first NBA player to complete in 23 seasons.

According to reports, LeBron has been diligent in solo workouts and is now eyeing the next phase: full-contact scrimmages. Sources close to the situation indicate James could participate in G League practices with the South Bay Lakers as early as next week, allowing him to test his conditioning in a low-stakes environment before facing NBA-level intensity. This step would accelerate his integration into team drills, with live 5-on-5 sessions on the horizon.

For the Lakers, James' absence has been a mixed bag. They've leaned on Anthony Davis' dominance (28.5 PPG, 12.0 RPG) and Austin Reaves' breakout (18.8 PPG) to climb the Western Conference standings, including a statement win over the Clippers.

Yet, Redick admits the void is palpable: "LeBron's gravity changes everything - defensively, offensively, leadership-wise."

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